Want to know a secret?
Of the hundreds of thousands of tourists
that come to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island each year, only a small number of
visitors discover the top of the
island.
It's a rugged and breath-taking place
that's quickly becoming one of the last undeveloped, authentic travel
destinations on the east coast of North America. Hike, bike, kayak or
drive and you'll have the rare experience of being alone and surrounded
by the sea and the mountains just the way Mother Nature intended them
to be.
10 great reasons
to visit this summer:
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2. The Seafood
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3. The Wildlife
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4. The Quiet
Beaches
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5. The
Outdoor Adventures
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6. The Drive
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7. The People
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8. The Local Artists & Culture
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9. The Golf
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10. The Value
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What people are saying:
"Parking our car on the side of the road,
we followed a trail marked by a small piece of orange plastic tied on a
tree and walked up to the top of a hill overlooking the
most spectacular and unspoiled view I have ever seen.
You will think you are on the edge of the earth. Desolate and
beautiful... Other things we did while there were kayaking where we
pulled the kayak up on the river side and walked to the ocean side to a
deserted and huge beach and proceeded to strip our clothes and hop in
the cold ocean."
- TeddyF (Minneapolis) on Trip Advisor |
"I
have stayed at Burtons last summer. It was a wonderful place to stay!
Clean, good beds, great host. He even helped us purchase crab then
cooked it for us! Beautiful location. This place does not get enough
credit on [Trip Advisor]. Actually anything off of the trail doesn't
get enough credit. We went to the "top of the island" and
that area was our favorite. Much less touristy."
- Travelling Foo (Indianapolis) on Trip Advisor |
"Drive of a lifetime"
|
"This wildly scenic driving loop around Cape Breton Highlands National Park delivers a surplus of dramatic coastal scenery. Take a few days to explore the area. You can hike blustery headlands, scope for whales on a tour boat, and dabble around a cove or two in a sea kayak."
"[Northern Cape Breton] is a much-recommended detour for
adventurous travelers hoping to get off the trafficked Cabot Trail.
Folks say that it is much like the Cabot Trail used to be 20 or
30 years ago, before the travel magazines started trumpeting its
glories and large numbers of tourists started showing up. It's worth
the extra driving and backtracking."
The campsites in Meat Cove "may have the most dramatic ocean views of any campground in Nova Scotia."
"This is one of very few places in Canada where you
can pedal and whale-watch at the same time -- a terrific daily double,
to be sure."
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"No joke, [Aspy Bay oysters at Hideaway
Campground] are probably the best oysters on the half
I've ever had."
- bigmackdaddy
(Brooklyn, NY) on Chowhound |
"The
good part about Meat Cove is that it is so far from things,
it just feels special to get there. The
bad part is that it is so far from things I can't get there
enough."
- James Goneaux (Toronto) on Flickr |
Our Favourite Places in Canada
"The single loveliest, most magical place in Canada... breathtaking at any time of year." |
"By the time you are [in Meat Cove] you
are suffering from chronic scenic
overload. It is some seriously awesome driving from Bay
St Lawrence to Meat Cove. You are at the northern tip of Nova Scotia
and the wind reminds you so."
- Outbj
(Washington D.C.) on Flickr |
"You need to stop in Neil's
Harbour - go to the restaurant out on the breakwater and
have fish and chips. If you are health and diet conscious, get over it
and have the fish and chips!!"
- DanyBoy on
Frommer's Community Forum |
Praise for the Highland Links Golf Club (just a short drive from us)

"Rustic, razor sharp and as thrilling a golf
experience as can be found at any public course in North America."

"I was preparing to hit from the edge of a
fairway one afternoon late last August when a 10-foot bull moose walked
up and asked to play through."
 #1 Canadian Course in
the World's Top 100 Courses
 Top 100 Golf Courses
Outside the US
 #4 Course in Canada |
"We highly recommend taking your time to explore Cape
Breton as there is far more to experience than just a
scenic drive around the Cabot trail. The people, culture and food,
food, food... are worth the time! Definitely one of our best
trips."
-
Shugnorth (Ontario) on Trip Advisor |
What they're filming: